High Hopes for European Triathlon Championships

Elite Irish triathletes will look to make a big impression in the European Championships in Pontevedra, Spain this weekend. With the elite women hopping into the warm water of the Lérez river at 12:30pm and the males getting under way at 7pm local time on Saturday (25th).

Derry native Aileen Morrison will be hoping to better the 5th place finish she achieved in this event last year, which took place in Athlon

Morrison is currently the top ranked Irish triathlete and is well on course for Olympic qualification. She will enter this race seeded 5th which will provide an advantageous start position amongst the favourites.

Morrison said "The European Championships are an event I aim to do well in every year. Last year on home turf I just missed out on the podium, but I feel I am in better shape this time around. It will be very tough in Spain on Saturday but I'm hopeful I can improve on last year's placing."

Two Irish athletes are competing in the elite men's field with Bryan Keane looking to make a comeback to top level action after he suffered a major setback in his hopes for Olympic qualification when he was hit by a car while out training, resulting in a shattered knee cap and 10 weeks in a leg brace. The forced lay off from running has allowed him to focus on bringing his swimming to a higher standard, which could result in him making the all important front pack for the bike leg.

The newest entrant into elite ranks, Conor Murphy, will have a good opportunity to test himself against the best Europe has to offer. Murphy has had a good run of Top 10 results in the British Triathlon Super Series, which will serve as the perfect preparation for this Saturday.

Along with the senior elite athletes, three talented juniors Russell White, Chris Mintern and Gavin Doran will be travelling to Portevedra.

White has mixed it with the seniors previously, including competing against 2006 world champion Tim Don in the British Triathlon Super Series recently, placing 12th overall and 4th in the British Junior Championships. This result was a particularly impressive comeback following a stress fracture in the left shin had meant White was out of action for a number of weeks.

Meanwhile Mintern has been racing closer to home posting a 4:08 1500 meter time, and securing 2nd in the Aviva All-Ireland Schools' Track and Field 2011 Championships. If he is in contention after the swim and bike he will be hoping to use his strong running ability to post a good result. The final member of the junior squad, Gavin Doran, placed 2nd in the Junior National Championships in May and had a comfortable win the Triburgh Sprint Triathlon, leading from start to finish.

Some 50 Age Group Athletes will also be representing Ireland and looking to bring back a hall of medals to rival that achieved in last year's European Championships.